All posts by Doylestown Gold Exchange

If you were asked to describe a diamond, you might use terms like “elegant” or “beautiful.”

But you could also go with “indestructible.” It seems like nothing can harm diamonds, which are hard enough to cut through rock or metal.

Diamond jewelry, however, is a different story. The oils from your finger can cause your pieces to lose their luster. In this blog post, our expert and graduate gemologist offer some tips on keeping your diamond jewelry looking its best.

Gold has always been valuable, long before our Bucks County cash for gold service was even an idea. It’s mentioned in the Bible, began and ended wars and inspired everything from Charlie Chaplin to the creators of HBO’s Deadwood.

But how did it get that way? In this blog post, we’ll look at the history of this precious metal.

“In the last year, we saw gold prices fall,” he said in an interview with Kitco News. “But in the last quarter of this year, we’ve seen a big increase and I think that’s partly driven by expectations of reduced long-term interest rates.”

His comments followed a statement from the president of the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis that a rate cut was looking more enticing to potentially give markets more credibility and reduce inflation.

It is hard to believe that a year has passed, and it is once again time for the Best of Bucks and Montgomery contest that is run through our great local paper, The Intelligencer. As a small family owned and operated business, we rely on the support of our local community and once again we are reaching out to our loyal customers for their support. The best of Bucks/Mont is a well-known contest in our area that gives the people of Bucks and Montgomery Counties the chance to vote for the businesses they trust and support in our area. We are very fortunate that our loyal customers continue to support our store, but also take the time each year to nominate and vote for us in this contest.

The Doylestown Gold Exchange is unlike any other store in Bucks and Montgomery Counties as we buy gold, silver, jewelry, diamonds an coins, but we are also a full-service jewelry store with a graduate gemologist on staff, we do expert jewelry and watch repair, and sell beautiful new and estate jewelry. Since we are so diversified and stand alone, we have been very fortunate to be voted the best or One of the Best for 6 straight years in multiple categories. We have been voted The Best Gold & Precious Metals Buyers since the category started in 2014 and have been voted One of the Best, or The Best Jewelry Stores since 2013. We are honored that our customers believe in what we are doing and have the confidence in our services to refer us and vote for us each year.

This year the contest has two stages and it starts on Monday, May 5th. The first stage is the nomination process and this runs from May 5th to May 19th. During this stage, people will nominate stores in each category and the top 3 from each category will go to the final vote in July. You may vote every day with an email address for this two-week period, so we are asking for your support to vote for us every day!

Please visit the categories below to vote. We are asking for your support in the 3 categories. Thank you again for your continued support, it means the world to all of us at DGE.

Alex had an idea for a unique piece of custom jewelry. She brought us something special: a pair of wedding bands from her parents.

At first, she thought we might be able to melt the two rings down to create one piece of jewelry, but the more we talked with Alex, the more we realized how special the rings were.

We suggested we work with the rings as they were to preserve as much of the original look as possible. The rings were two different sizes and both had an engraving on the inside, which added to their sentimental value.

In 2009, Maryland state delegate Jon S. Cardin decided to propose to his girlfriend.

But rather than get down on one knee at a restaurant, Cardin, who represents Baltimore County, decided for something a little more…elaborate.

As the couple took a boat ride through Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, a police helicopter conducted a “raid,” going as far as to pretend to arrest Cardin’s intended, just before he popped the question.

Megan Homer, Cardin’s girlfriend, was apparently charmed enough to say yes. City officials took a much less romantic view, the Baltimore Sun reported.

“Definitely there was some poor judgment exercised by some officers,” police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the paper the week after the proposal. “The Police Department is not in the business of renting out the helicopter and the boats for bachelor parties and birthdays. We’re in the business of upholding public safety in Baltimore.”

There are plenty of good ways to ask someone to marry you without inviting police scrutiny. As a provider of fine Bucks County custom diamond engagement rings, it’s in our best interest to steer you toward an ideal marriage proposal. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

When we think of a marriage proposal, we think of romance, one partner getting down on one knee in a crowded restaurant or a busy city street, holding an engagement ring and ready to pop the question.

At the same time, there’s a lot of logistics involved. You might find yourself ticking off items on a mental checklist before you ask the person you love to marry you:

Found the right time to propose? Check.

Picked the perfect engagement spot? Check.

Determine ring size? That one’s a little trickier.

It’s especially tricky when you’re hoping to surprise your significant other. After all, it’s tough to date someone for a few months, ask them “By the way, what size ring do you wear?” and have them wonder what might be going on.

The only way we can answer that question is like this: “The right time to buy an engagement ring is when you know you’ve found the right person to give it to.”

Beyond that, there are certain advantages to buying engagement rings around the holidays, or really, any time of year.

Before Christmas

In the weeks before Christmas, many businesses are offering sales and discounts, all of them vying for treasured holidays shoppers.

Start your search early enough to give yourself time to think about your purchase. You might also find there’s a larger selection of rings to choose from.

After Christmas (but before Valentine’s Day)

Christmas and Valentine’s Day are two of the most popular days for proposals, so if you begin your search for a ring just after Christmas – in late December or early January – you’ll be able to beat the pre-February 14 rush.

Spring and Summer

Planning to pop the question on a spring or summer getaway? Take the pressure off yourself by shopping during the post-Valentine’s period. You won’t have to contend with larger crowds and vendors will be able to give you more attention.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

No discussion of the best time to buy an engagement ring is complete without the post-Thanksgiving shopping weekend. There are often significant discounts to be found this time of year.

But no matter what time of year you decide is the best time to buy an engagement ring, there are certain rules you should follow:

1. Study the “4 Cs”

The “4Cs” is a global standard created by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) for assessing the quality of a diamond. They are:

Color – The less color in a diamond, the rarer and more valuable

Cut – How well the stone unleashes light

Clarity – The absence or presence of blemishes and inclusions

Carat weight – This determines the diamond’s size

Once you understand the four Cs, ask yourself which factor is the most important to you.

2. Choose your shape

This may be even more important than the 4Cs. The shape refers to the actual geometry of the stone. Try to get an idea of the shape your partner loves before you buy. Many couples ring shop together these days, so you may already have some notion of what they like/dislike.

3. Metal and setting

The right setting – this is the metal frame the diamond is mounted on – can do a lot for the ring. Your jeweler can advise you on which stones go with which settings.

The choice of metal is important as well. For example: Does your partner have sensitive skin? Consider platinum, which is hypoallergenic but also durable.

4. Work with your budget

The conventional wisdom used to be that an engagement ring should cost you three month’s salary. We’re not sure that’s still true. Just buy the nicest ring you can find without getting saddled with debt.

5. Work with a professional

Search for a trusted jeweler when you begin your search. Pick someone who has been accredited by the Jewelers of America or is a member of the GIA, for example.

Are you shopping for a new diamond engagement ring? Visit Doylestown Gold Exchange, where owner Greg Glemser uses his GIA training to help customers find the right rings for them.

Remember, the only “right” time to buy an engagement ring is when you feel ready to do so. Stop in today to find the ring that’s perfect for your loved one.